Ivan Grigorovich

Ivan Grigorovich

Ivan Konstantinovich Grigorovich (Russian: Ива́н Константи́нович Григоро́вич )(1853 — 1930) served as Russia's Naval Minister from 1911 until the onset of revolution in 1917.

Graduating from the Naval academy in 1874 Grigorovich served as an officer on various ships. In 1896 he was appointed Russian naval attaché in London. In 1899 he appointed to command the battleship Tsesarevich, which was being completed in France. In 1903 Tseserevish sailed to Port Arthur.

After the Japanese torpedo boats attack on Port-Arthur, starting the Russo-Japanese war, Grigorovich was promoted to rear admiral and appointed chief of Port Arthur's port. Under his effective management, Russian Pacific squadron had no shortage of coal, munitions or any supplies during the Siege of Port Arthur.

After the end of the war he was appointed chief of staff of the Black Sea Fleet. In 1909 he was appointed Deputy Navy Minister. From 1911 until the onset of revolution in 1917 he served as Russia's Naval Minister, overseeing a huge rearment programme. The naval build-up included building four Gangut class battleships for the Baltic sea and four Imperatritsa Mariya class battleships for the Black sea. He enjoyed good relationships with the Duma and used his popularity to secure huge extra funds to expand the navy.

He was dismissed from office in the wake of the February Revolution on 31 March 1917. From his retirement he asked for permission to get medical treatment abroad, and left for France in the autumn of 1924. He died there in 1930. He was initially buried in the Russian Cemetery in Menton. In 2005 the urn containing his ashes was taken aboard the Russian cruiser Moskva, which carried his remains to Novorossiysk. The ashes were then taken to Saint Petersburg and buried in the family vault in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in accordance with the admiral's will.

The Russian Navy has named the first of the Admiral Grigorovich class frigates after Ivan Grigorovich.